West Indies suffered a 3-0 sweep at the hands of England in the Richards-Botham Trophy Series after fast bowler Mark Wood dismantled the Windies batting lineup, setting up the hosts for a 10-wicket win in the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Sunday.
The West Indies began the third day’s play on 33 for two, Alick Athanaze (12) was the first man to go to leave the West Indies on 53 for three.
West Indies then got a fruitful 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket between opener Mikyle Louis (57) and Kavem Hodge (55).
Louis was dismissed by Stokes, with new batsman Jason Holder (12) being trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson (two for 28) to see the Windies going to lunch at 151 for five with a 57-run lead at that stage.
After lunch, Wood took the game into his own hands to take the last five wickets of West Indies with a devastating spell of five for 40 that sent the visitors crashing to 175 all out in their second innings on the third day of the match.
Wood grabbed the wickets of Joshua Da Silva (five), Windies vice-captain Alzarri Joseph (two), Hodge, Jayden Seales (duck) and Shamar (four).
Windies then suffered further when Ben Stokes came to open the batting with Ben Duckett. Stokes raced to an unbeaten 57 off just 28 balls, hitting nine fours and two sixes in his innings as the hosts knocked off the 82-run target after just 7.2 overs.
None of the West Indies bowlers were spared and Stokes smashed pacer Shamar Joseph over mid-wicket for a six to set a record for the fastest 50 by an England batsman in Tests and the joint third-fastest overall off only 24 balls.
West Indies also lost the first Test that ended three Fridays ago – inside three days – by an innings and 114 runs at Lord’s, and the second Test that finished last Sunday – inside four days – by 241 runs at Trent Bridge.
Seales was named the West Indies Player-of-the-Series and Atkinson was named the England Player-of-the-Series.
